WASHINGTON (CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trailing one potential Republican challenger by 10 points in a hypothetical 2010 matchup, a new poll suggests, and he's not faring much better against another possible opponent.

Reid trails Nevada GOP chairwoman Sue Lowden, 49 percent to 39 percent, according to a Mason-Dixon poll commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and released Sunday. Reid is also losing by a 48-43 margin in a hypothetical race against another leading candidate for the Republican Senate nomination, businessman Danny Tarkanian.

Although Reid is likely to raise millions and get a helping hand from national Democrats, Nevadans appear to have an overall negative opinion of their senior senator, who doesn't have much wiggle room to improve his image. Nearly 100 percent of Nevada voters know who Reid is, and 50 percent of them hold an unfavorable view of the Democrat. Just 38 percent have a favorable opinion.

So is Reid facing the same fate of another Senate party leader, former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle, who famously stumbled in his re-election bid? The man in charge of electing Democrats to the Senate doesn't think so.

"Harry Reid is not Tom Daschle and this is not South Dakota," Menendez said late last month, referring to Daschle's 2004 loss to Republican John Thune. "I would not bet against Harry Reid by any stretch of the imagination."

Reid's campaign manager Brandon Hall brushed off the poll results.

"Senator Reid has never put much stock in polls," Hall said in an e-mail. "The Republican candidates in this race are still supporting many of the policies that got us into the mess that Senator Reid is working every day to get us out of. As the election draws closer and voters are presented with a choice between moving our economy forward and the status quo, we are confident that Senator Reid's vision of moving forward will prevail."

soundoff(161 Responses)

Reid id dead wood needing to be cut

Harry Reid is a polarizing figure of dead wood unable or unwilling to build partisan consensus in the Senate on anything, He represents the old way of doing things in DC and needs to be replaced for the good of his state; the good of his party; and the good of the country. Sorry Harry, but when you approve hundreds of billions in pork spending for pet projects and campaign contributors in a time when the country is suffering, it is time to acknowledge that you have lost the meaning of :govenment by the people for the people" and it is time to retire from public life.

October 12, 2009 02:31 pm at 2:31 pm |

stevegee

When Reid is out of a job after next year's election, there are plenty of other opportunities at organizations with similar political philosophies - like Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela.

October 12, 2009 02:37 pm at 2:37 pm |

JohnBoy

The "I hate Bush" people are in real trouble. There are a lot of Americans that like President Bush and think he did a great job. He did keep us safe after Bill Clinton turned the terrorist lose and they planed 911 during his time in office. The American people are waking up to the Left wing commies. 2010 and 2012 will be a great time for Americans because they will vote out the give away democrats and race will not be a issue, we do have a black president and what has he done?

Its time for Americans to take back control of this country, the commie sure have made a mess if it.

Vote REPUBLICAN 2010 and 2012, we will take back our country.

October 12, 2009 02:39 pm at 2:39 pm |

Kevin in Ohio

2010 will be 1994 all over again.... because the democrats/liberals refuse to learn from history, and they refuse to listen to normal, everyday American people. Our long national nightmare will be over in a year.

October 12, 2009 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

Fed Up

Bye, Bye Harry.............you won't be gone soon enough!

October 12, 2009 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

robrubin

Harry Reid is not my favorite senator, but do we really want more Republicans in there?

October 12, 2009 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Glennis

The country would certainly be better off without this tight lipped, mean spirited, incompetent little man.

October 12, 2009 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Erik S.

Only the beginning, believe me.

October 12, 2009 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

DH Mid MI

Do we dare hold out hope the people of Nevada will recognize this bufoon for what he is?

October 12, 2009 02:53 pm at 2:53 pm |

Ex-NC-Pub

The man is no leader.... he has no backbone!

October 12, 2009 02:54 pm at 2:54 pm |

Steve (the real one)

Reid is not Daschle and Nevada is not South Dakota, agreed, BUT one can always hope the fate is the same! Nevada will decide and have the last word as it should be! My only request, Nevada, please remember the rest of us come Nov 2010! Give Reid the BOOT!